This is a wonderfully twisty and engaging psychological thriller. Lynn's writing style quickly pulls readers in. Don't let the large number of chapters scare you, as the fast pace keeps readers turning the pages. Some parts may feel a bit predictable, but don't be surprised if you find yourself realizing that you are wrong. This book has well-developed characters and a strong storyline, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

H.M. Lynn delivers a gripping psychological thriller in The Student, a tale brimming with suspense, secrets, and the sinister underbelly of academia.

The story follows Frankie, a 24-year-old university student rebuilding her life after a devastating family tragedy. Struggling to make ends meet, she accepts a ghostwriting job from the enigmatic Dr. B—a client who insists on complete anonymity and communicates solely through a voice distorter. What starts as a lifeline soon descends into a nightmare when Frankie realizes her new employer knows far more about her past than they should. As the line between fiction and reality blurs, Frankie is thrust into a web of paranoia, mistrust, and danger, especially when a childhood friend goes missing and her own integrity is called into question.

Lynn masterfully keeps readers on edge with short chapters and a relentless pace. Frankie’s flawed and impulsive nature makes her a relatable, if not always likable, protagonist. Her paranoia and self-doubt are palpable, and the twists are perfectly timed to keep the tension high. The exploration of academia, ambition, and the lingering effects of trauma adds depth to the narrative, making it more than just a standard thriller.

While some elements of the plot are predictable, unexpected twists keep the story fresh and engaging. A few loose threads—particularly concerning Frankie’s boyfriend, Duncan, and some unresolved clues—leave questions lingering. However, these minor quibbles don’t detract from the overall enjoyment of the story.

The Student is a compelling page-turner, perfect for fans of psychological thrillers that delve into secrets, survival, and the darker side of human ambition. H.M. Lynn crafts an atmospheric and immersive tale that will keep you hooked until the very last page.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
#TheStudent #HMLynn #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this book and was hooked right from the get go. I had no idea what was happening but it was entertaining and interesting enough to keep going. And I'm glad I did. Lobed the main character too. Highly recommended cc

New psychological thriller about a university student who is running from her past and wants a fresh start in a different city with different people.
She gets a job as a ghostwriter for a mysterious client who she does not trust.
If you enjoy thrillers this is for you.

A quick, easy and enjoyable read that kept me guessing and made me not want to put it down as I had to know what happened.

Ahhh...the life of a university student. Financially strapped, just starting to find oneself, a bit naive and juvenile. But Frankie was a few years older than most other students, nearer the same age as some of the faculty. She and her boyfriend Duncan lived in a tiny flat they hated. When she accepted a job as a ghost writer to make money, she would never have dreamed of what was in store for her. Her tragic past taunted and haunted her and she was eager to start anew. But her new boss didn't exactly inspire confidence, using only phone app calls with a distorted voice, asking red flag questions. Not only that but a friend goes missing and plagiarism rears its ugly head. Her life crumbles into bits and she begins to doubt all those around here and herself. She grew paranoid and distrusting of fellow students, faculty and friends and as a consequence makes some questionable choices.

Though a bit predictable in places, the twists kept coming and kept me invested. University students can be quite immature, including Frankie. Her character isn't likeable and her foul language didn't endear me. I did like the suspense and story concept. I feel the target audience is much younger than me but that didn't keep me from zipping through the pages.

My sincere thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this engrossing novel.

So glad I was able to get this book as a ARC. I enjoyed this thriller, I felt like I was right by Frankie side & it kept me wanting more & finding out EXACTLY what happened. I thought I knew, but I was way off.

A gripping psychological thriller that pulled me in from the very first page. It’s a story about survival, secrets, and the inescapable pull of the past.

The book follows a university student trying to rebuild her life after tragedy. Desperate for money, she takes a ghostwriting job with one peculiar rule: her employer must remain anonymous. What starts as an opportunity quickly turns dark as her client’s ideas eerily echo her own hidden past. As she pieces things together, her reality unravels, and when her closest friend disappears, the tension reaches a breaking point.

Lynn creates a haunting atmosphere, blending sharp pacing with a protagonist whose fears feel painfully real. The faceless employer looms as a menacing presence, and the twists hit hard, keeping you on edge until the very end.

The Student is a dark, emotional, and unrelenting read that will leave you thinking long after the final page. Fans of psychological thrillers won’t want to miss it.

Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing this advance copy for my honest, voluntary review.

#TheStudent #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks #HMLynn

This was fast-paced thriller, it kept me on the edge of my seat all the way with so many twists.

I was hooked from page one.

WOW!

“The Student” is a fast paced thriller.
Thank you Boldwood Books and Netgalley for the advance review copy of the book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Frankie is a 24 years old talented writer starting college that is offered a job as a ghostwriter by a mysterious man.

I liked that there are short chapters full of suspans. For me it was a page turner and I read it in one siting as the action kept me interested. During the story there are a few twists and it is hard to realize if the character is being gaslighted, she is right or she is paranoid. At one time I suspected the person that turned out to be “the killer”, but there were also surprises at the end.
Overall I would recommend this if you like psychological thrillers.

This was a quick read with short chapters and an overall fast pace. It centers on Frankie, who is attending college a few years older than most students on a scholarship. She takes a ghostwriting job for a secret client to bring in some more money, but the client seems to know more about her than she would expect and she fears that there is an ulterior motive.

This was an interesting concept overall, and I like how the author weaved in stories about Frankie's past to understand her current state of mind. Frankie kind of drove me crazy as a character, though- she was naive and constantly jumped to conclusions without fully understanding the situation in front her. While I thought there were some good twists, I thought the way Frankie handled them didn't seem like it was how a real person would act. I liked the twist at the end, and while I had an inkling of who the villain was, their motivations were a surprise. I thought the ending was very abrupt, though- the whole thing got tied up very quickly and cleanly in just a couple of pages.

Overall, this was a fun read despite my lack of connection with the main character. I'd give it a solid 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fun, twisty thriller that deals with two of my favorite subjects; writing and academia. Frankie is just starting college at age 24. She has had a tragic life with her parents killed in a murder-suicide. She is a talented writer and has a devoted boyfriend named Duncan. One of her favorite professors recommends her for a ghostwriting job that will provide the money she needs to move into a better place with Duncan. When she goes to interview for the job, she is met with a robotic voice and no picture and the mysterious Dr. B seems to know everything about her life. After she accepts the job, crazy things start to happen in her life and she thinks Dr. B is behind it all.

This one went in a different direction than most thrillers and I was constantly wondering who was behind all the things happening and at times I thought maybe Frankie herself was behind this. There is a murder, Frankie is accused of plagiarism and an old friend is missing. I did guess one of the twists but I thought the author did a great job of laying out subtle clues that led to solving the mystery. I didn't always find Frankie likable but I enjoyed this crazy, ride of a story. Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood books for a copy of this ARC to review.

The Student by H. M. Lynn is a psychological thriller with a good enough premise to make you want to see the book through. I liked the character build-up. Frankie, in particular, was great, and I love how, at one point, the author had us questioning her sanity. I was hoping the author was going to play into that (maybe something similar to S.A Folk's The Therapist), but to my dismay, she didn't. The plot was very predictable, and I knew who this "Dr. B" was as soon as the character made their appearance in the book. The supporting characters were also pretty good, as was the writing. A solid 3 star read.
Thank you NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and H. M. Lynn for this ARC.

A very interesting an unique concept for the plot! Full of drama and suspense. Fast paced and kept me hooked.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy. Very fast paced, and I was intrigued to find out what was going to happen. Love the short chapters. It was very spooky! Twists I didn't see coming!

★★★.5

After a dramatic incident, Frankie is eager to start fresh in a new town—one where she doesn’t know anyone, and no one knows her. As a struggling scholarship student, she’s desperate to find a job to make ends meet. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity arises when she’s offered the role of ghostwriter, with a paycheck that could change her life forever—but is it too good to be true?

The selection process is unusual. Her employer, the mysterious Dr. B, is determined to keep his identity a secret. The questions he asks make her feel as though he knows her intimately—her deepest, darkest secrets, even those she hasn’t admitted to herself.

When the stories she writes suddenly begin manifesting in real life, it might already be too late for Frankie to walk away…

”Suicide — that’s what they have said. The word is used at least three times in the article, but it’s not that. It’s murder. I know, because the description is so familiar, I could have written it myself. I pretty much did…”

H.M. Lynn has a knack for drawing readers in and maintaining a relentless pace that makes it impossible to put her books down! As with her previous novel, The Headteacher, our protagonist has secrets she’d rather keep buried. And while I wanted to trust her and root for her, it wasn’t always clear just how reliable Frankie—or her perspective—truly was.

This was a super quick read with plenty of twists to keep you guessing!

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and H.M. Lynn for an early copy of this twisty popcorn thriller! All opinions are my own.

Thank you Net Gallery for the book. It was very enjoyable, very entertaining, lots of twists and turns. I loved the characters. The only bad thing I have to say about this book is that it kept me reading way past midnight, I couldn't put it down! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

this book was good but not great. a fast paced thriller that was easy to follow but ultimately I was underwhelmed with the ending and there was a couple of plot holes that I wish had been tied up.

The Main character was too naive to make any sense to me as a reader at all. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this book.

This book is so fast paced I flew through it in a day. I thought I guessed the ending but I was wrong again.

My heart went out to Francesca and her losses and the emails were creepy.

I haven't read anything by this author before but I'm excited to read more.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️